Upcoming events

Lithuanian MFA condemns the murder of famous Russian politician and one of the opposition leaders Boris Nemtsov. This brutal crime, which, according to the preliminary data, was well planned and organized, must be immediately investigated, and those responsible brought to justice. Mr. Nemtsov will forever remain in our memory as a sincere friend of Lithuania, and a true patriot of Russia, who relentlessly fought for democratic Russia, for the rights and freedoms of Russian citizens. We express our deep condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Nemtsov and to all the people of Russia.

On February 26 Foreign Affairs Minister Linas Linkevičius met with the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Hon. John Boehner, before finishing his visit to the U.S. They discussed the importance of U.S. leadership in strengthening NATO collective defense measures alongside the eastern borders of the Alliance.

The Republic of Lithuania expresses strong support to Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Russian Federation's military aggression, launched a year ago in the Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea and now continuing in eastern Ukraine, is a blatant violation of international law: the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act, 1994 Budapest Memorandum and other international agreements, as well as Russian and Ukrainian bilateral agreements. Such targeted military actions not only break bilateral and multilateral agreements on Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity assurance, but also pose a threat to the security and stability throughout Europe.

On 25 February, in Washington D.C., Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with Senator John McCain, Chairman of the US Senate Armed Services Committee, and Andy Lack, Chief Executive Officer and Director of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. Minister participated in the event at the US Congress to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence. The Minister emphasized the significant role of the US leadership in implementing NATO collective defense measures.

On February 26, Andrius Krivas, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs received General Tom Middendorp, Dutch Army Commander at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss situation in the east of Ukraine, implementation of the decisions of the NATO Summit in Wales, international security issues of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. Vice-Minister Krivas expressed his appreciation to the Netherlands for their contribution into urgent implementation of the collective security measures. These measures were agreed last year at the NATO Summit in Wales.

On 24 February in Washington, DC, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with the Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Richard Stengel and participated in a discussion with a community of experts at the National Endowment for Democracy. Participants debated the most effective ways to counter Russia’s informational pressure and to respond to disinformation.

The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee, chaired by Ambassador Raimonda Murmokaitė, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN, in response to the initiative of the Permanent Mission of France, held an open briefing on 10 February with participation of French Minister of Justice Christiane Taubira on “Importance of the rule of law in countering the current terrorist threat.”

Lithuania’s Honorary Consulate, headed by lawyer Tomasz Arthur Koson, was opened in Wrocław, Poland, on 6 February. Now there are eight Honorary Consulates in Poland. At the opening ceremony, Šarūnas Adomavičius, Ambassador of Lithuania in Poland, emphasized the opening up of new opportunities for business development, scientific, cultural ties and youth exchanges as well as feeling closer to home for Lithuanian residents and visitors.